Not Just Another Cinderella Story
by ChesireCat0826
Summary: This is a true story based off my own life. My story. There is humor, there is romance, there is drama. A lot of drama. This is a story about the drama of mixed families. A story about stepsisters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

We are normally led to believe that good is rewarded and evil in punished, whether told by our parents, seen it in movies, or read it in fairy tales that is how it's supposed to be. But it doesn't always work out that way in some stories, especially mine. My name is Anna. This is my story.

It all started in 7th grade. I had just moved to a town smack in the middle of California called Fresno. It was just me and my dad. He was a construction worker so we moved around a lot. He was always in charge of building hospitals mostly for children and we were close. I didn't think anyone else had a better father than I did. My real mother had gave me up when I was born but back when my dad had a wife I'd loved her as my mother because she loved me like her own. I still think of her as my mother even though they were divorced and I only saw her on birthdays.

We had been living with my great aunt Mara until we found a house. She's been in Fresno for almost fifty years and was almost married that long but her husband had died. She is the wisest person I know and I thought of her as my second grandma.

Anyways when we did find a house it wasn't in Fresno. It was about thirty minutes outside of Fresno, up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. We couldn't live in town because I had a dog, and cats, and a horse. Yes I had a horse. My dad had bought her for me on my 10th birthday but she was back in Fallbrook in southern California, where we'd moved from. The house was two stories and I thought it was completely awesome. Downstairs was its own apartment where my grandma would be living. She was incapable of living on her own so my dad said she'd be living with us. A live-in babysitter for me since my dad worked most of the time, but I didn't mind. I loved my grandma.

We moved in immediately. My cousin took me to register for school, my first year of middle school. I was excited and nervous. I'd gone to an elementary school that went all the way up to sixth grade in Fresno while we lived with Mara. I'd made some friends but I'd forgotten to give them my number to keep in touch. I hadn't made many guy friends.

I wasn't beautiful. I was tan with wild, frizzy, curly brown hair and a short pug nose and big lips. That combined with the fact I was freakishly tall I didn't expect the buys to swarm around me. The only quality about me I liked was my eyes. They were strangely blue with gold around the pupils in the sun. My eyes were the only truly beautiful thing about me that I took credit for.

"I'm sure you'll love it here," the lady in the front office told me when we registered, "We're not a very big school. Only a couple hundred kids."

I was excited but I had my doubts. The middle school up here started at sixth grade and I would be the outsider, the new kid. I'd been the new kid all my life but kids in small communities like Prather, population around one thousand, all knew each other for years. However I smiled politely and said, "Great."

The day school started I took the bus. I'd always taken the bus since my dad left for work at four in the morning for the past ten years and then got home around four or five in the afternoon. I got to sit by myself but I glanced around at the kids aboard. There were some sixth graders that sat near the front, kids around my age that sat near the middle. Then there were older girls and guys that sat near the back, not just eighth graders, but high school people too. After the bus dropped the middle school kids off it went to the high school, in the afternoon I'd be getting on a bus to the high school then get on another bus there to take me home.

There was one guy that caught my eye, he was big I guessed he was in high school. He had long brown hair like a skater boy (I found that attractive back then) and was pretty good looking. He only glanced at me once and I hoped my hair wasn't frizzy.

When I got off the bus I expected him to stay on and go to the high school but he didn't. He got off with me. He was in middle school! Maybe it wouldn't be so bad here after all.

I checked my schedule. I had math for homeroom, then history, then two periods of language arts, lunch, P.E, and then health. I was super excited but class didn't start for fifteen minutes.

I headed for the big building that I assumed was the library. It wasn't. It was full of familiar long rectangular tables with kids eating breakfast. Some stared at me. I knew why, I was new. I walked back out feeling stupid and walked towards the other big building across from the cafeteria. That had to be the library. Thankfully it was and I spent my free time perusing the books.

When the bell rang I swallowed and tried to be brave. I found the room listed on my schedule and followed the crowd inside. I'd hoped not to be noticed and I sat at a table near the middle. I froze. The guy off the bus sat at the same table. He was in seventh grade? Had he been held back or something? Either way this was turning out completely awesome. I tried not to stare.

My hopes of being invisible were shattered when Mrs. Bell the teacher took role. "Brianna…Teverbaugh," god why did I have to have such a weird name? Of course everyone stared.

"Just Anna," I told her and raised my hand.

"Welcome, Anna, I'm sure you'll be very happy here," _oh please stop talking to me._

Mercifully, she did and moved on to calling the rest. Everyone looked away at least and I could breathe again.

We all went to the cafeteria instead of having class for orientation. Even the kids that been here for three years had to attend. I didn't mind I was new but we were allowed to sit wherever. I glanced around the room.

I had no friends yet to sit with so I went to the mostly empty seats at a table in the front which was mostly sixth graders so I didn't feel intimidated. However there was also a girl around my age sitting with an empty spot next to her so I sat there. She turned and smiled at me and I smiled back.

The vice principal giving the orientation was funny and had the whole room laughing in no time. The girl sitting next to me and I laughed at the same things and she made funny comments that had me laughing more.

When the vice principal got to the rules about P.D.A (public display of affection) he said, "How many of you guys are in love in here?" he dragged out the word love and some laughed, some whooped mostly the guys, and a bunch of girls raised their hands. I just smiled.

"I'm not going to answer that," the girl next to me said grinning.

I laughed, "I'm Anna," I was hopeful I'd made a friend. She wasn't beautiful, just plain like me with light auburn wavy hair and greenish hazel eyes. She looked nice at least.

"I'm Catherine," she smiled at me and I was sure my first day of school was off to a great start.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Turns out Catherine and I were a lot alike. She also loved horses and I even had her in my next class after the orientation. We walked out together and the guy from the bus I'd thought was cute walked by with some of his friends.

"Who is he?" I motioned toward him.

"Oh him? That's Shane Tregan."

Shane. That was a fitting name. He didn't have the next class with me but at least now I knew one person.

In this class, history, I didn't get to sit next to Catherine but I sat next to another girl a brunette dressed in all pink. I found out from the teacher taking roll that her name was Lauren and I wasn't sure how it happened but in no time we were talking and laughing as I had with Catherine. Were all the girls here this nice? If so I would love it here. Lauren and I hit it off right away because she was also new this year. I wasn't alone after all.

At break all three of us hung out and I couldn't believe my good luck so far. It hadn't even been a whole day and I had two friends here. Catherine was the informative one I labeled her. She told me about most of the people in our grade and who to avoid, who was nice and who wasn't.

"You don't want to get involved with her," she pointed at one girl sitting on a bench surrounded by a bunch of other girls. "That's Heidi Griggs and her disciples. She's pure evil."

I nodded. I definitely didn't want any trouble from any girls. Girls can be as mean as snakes.

Laura was the funny one. She was always happy, always smiling, and could make me bend over laughing.

At lunch I sat with both of them at a table that was mostly full of plain girls like us. I met some more people and across the room I saw Shane come in and sit at the table closest to the windows. That table was for the "Populars" Catherine called them. I could tell why. Most of them were pretty girls and good looking guys. It's funny how simple popularity works. If you look good enough you're automatically in the club, if not you're not worth the time.

After lunch I went to Science, and P.E not really knowing what to expect. I walked into the gym and there were numbers taped to the floor all in rows from one to fifty.

"As I take roll I will give you a number and that number is your spot the rest the year," the P.E teacher announced and then she started calling names. Turns out the numbers you were given was determined by your last name in the alphabet, mine starting with a 'T' gave me forty three. When I sat on my number I noticed two numbers straight ahead of me was Shane and I gulped. Of course his last name started with a 'T' too.

The entire period was basically orientation about rules and grading and the prices of gym clothes. I was awkward, I didn't have Catherine or Lauren in P.E.

After the bell rang I escaped to my last period Health which thankfully I had Catherine in and she sat by me. She told me all about her horse and I told her about mine. I had the feeling today was a start of a beautiful friendship.

"Do you ride the bus?" I asked after the bell rang.

She shook her head, "No, my mom picks me up because last time I rode the bus they lost me." She rolled her eyes.

_Lost you? How can the bus lose you? It's your own job to know when and where to get off and on. _I thought but didn't say. After all she was my first friend and I wanted her to like me. I just nodded and said bye.

Right before I got on the bus Lauren caught me, "You ride the bus too? Awesome! Let's sit together!"

I grinned, "Okay," and we sat together on the way to the high school.

When we got there and got off that bus I took in the sight. It was a pretty decent-sized high school and the parking lot was full of buses. How would I ever find the right one? I turned to her, "I have to get on bus thirty-one"

She smiled, "Me too. I think it's up there," she pointed near the front of the parking lot and I nodded and followed her.

We found our bus and sat together near the front. I shared my iPod with her but unfortunately I was first to get off with a bunch of other kids I had no idea even lived on my road.

At home I watched T.V until Dad got home. When he did come home I happily told him about my day.

"I really like it so far. I made two friends already today," I informed him grinning. _Also a hot guy is in five of my classes that I can drool over._

"That's great sweetheart," he smiled, "Of course you'll make plenty of friends. Want to watch a movie?" Dad and I always watched a movie together at least twice a week. It was a family tradition.

This night I picked _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles _the old live-action one from the 80's. We also had pizza for dinner in honor of the movie. Life was good.

The next two weeks I repeated my first day's routine at school. I was really settling in. We even had a Yosemite field trip coming up in a couple days. In homeroom we had to make up groups of four to six to walk around with when we were there. Thankfully I had Lauren in homeroom and we both signed on for the group which was made up of the quiet girls we sat with at lunch.

Catherine wasn't too thrilled about her group. She told us at break, "My mom is chaperoning one of the groups and I have to be in her group. I don't mind most of the girls except for Heather," her face looked annoyed, "She's so two-faced and is a total know-it-all about horses."

"I could never ride a horse," Laura shook her head. "They're too big and scary."

"That's okay I mean everyone is into something different," I smiled.

"Oh my god here he comes," Laura straightened her posture and smoothed her hair.

"Who?" I glanced around and some boys I didn't know walked past.

"Lucas," she pointed at one of them, "He's so cute I could die. He's in my P.E class."

I laughed, "Why don't you go talk to him?"

"Because he could hear me."

I giggled, "Come on, be brave."

Catherine shook her head, "Yuck. That's my cousin."

"Great! Then you can introduce me," Laura said all excited and tugged on her arms to get up from where we were sitting.

Catherine shook her head again, "No, he doesn't like me coming up to him in public."

"Why?" Laura and I asked at the same time confused.

She shrugged, "I don't know. He's an idiot."

Laura and I glanced at each other but we didn't ask anything else about it. Maybe he was just mean that's all.

On the day of the field trip, we all had to line up in front of the buses alphabetically while the teachers and chaperones took role and loaded the buses with lunch stuff. I had to stand right behind Shane. I hoped my hair wasn't frizzy and instinctively my fingers wandered to my head to check.

He turned around and looked at me flipping his hair to one side. My breath hitched in my throat. He was way more gorgeous up close and I couldn't help but stare.

"Hey," he smiled and my heart melted.

"Hi," I choked out. He chuckled and turned away and I could breathe again. Yep I was gone. I had a new crush.

I hoped our seats on the bus depended on our last names but we were allowed to sit where we wanted. He sat toward the back with a pretty girl and I sighed. Probably better to dream. I sat by Laura. Catherine didn't get on the bus. Instead she rode with her mom in her car. She'd asked if we'd wanted to ride with her but Laura and I said no. We liked the bus.

The bus ride was long but fun. Laura and I chatted with some of the people who sat around us including Shane! I glanced around at the other girls on the bus. Of course I was the only one with curly hair. Why did I have to be cursed with it?

"So is your hair naturally like that?" Shane asked me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You think I'd do this?" I pointed to my frizz, "On purpose?"

He smiled, "Oh okay."

The bus went through a mountain in a tunnel, it was dark and everyone whooped and screamed.

When we finally got there I took in the beautiful sight. I'd never been Yosemite, nor had I seen such a place. Mountains, huge rocks, waterfalls, it was incredible.

When the bus finally stopped we all piled out and got into our groups. I stole one last look at Shane before he left with his group to sightsee. I glanced around at the people in mine. There was actually one boy in our group. A boy with reddish brown hair who was a little on the chubby side named Cole.

He looked at me funny, "Are you new?"

I nodded, "Just moved here, you?"

He shook his head, "Nah, I've lived here my whole life. I'm Cole."

"Anna."

He nodded, "You're friends with Catherine?"

"Yeah," I gave him a funny look, "How did you know?"

"I saw you hang with her at lunch at stuff. Her mom is good friends with my mom so I've known her since elementary school."

"Oh okay," _What's his point? Did he like her or something?_

"Yeah. She can be a little…strange sometimes. I just wanted to let you know because-" He didn't get to finish his sentence our chaperone started talking to all of us. I stared at him. Catherine seemed perfectly normal what was he talking about? I didn't get a chance to ask him about it. We were off to tour Yosemite.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

So the park was pretty cool but we walked and walked until my feet hurt. I didn't ask Cole about it again. I didn't think it really mattered. Wasn't everyone a little strange in some way or another? I knew I was strange.

When it was finally time to go I was relieved and happily got on the bus and sat by Laura again on the way back. Catherine rode with her mom again, which I had a glimpse of as we were leaving. She was short, shorter than Catherine, and a not huge but big bulging round woman with a long wavy pony tail that reached her butt. Catherine wasn't fat herself but she did have thick arms and legs more of an athletic build, but the hair definitely matched.

The next day, Saturday, my dad made a great big breakfast. A Saturday tradition all my favorites, hash browns, sausage, biscuits and bacon. Saturdays were my favorite days of the week just because of that reason.

In the next month's things continued to go great. I hung out with my two best friends at school and maybe I was crazy but I think even Shane was starting to notice me.

One day I'd gotten my mess of hair straightened and I looked like a completely different person. It was knotless, flawless, and shiny (for a while). I looked almost beautiful. And _he _(Shane) even complimented me on it!

It happened in Language Arts. The class was almost done and I was struggling to get an assignment done before the bell when I heard my name.

"Anna!" a half whisper. I sucked in an annoyed breath, I didn't want to be bothered with right now, and thinking it was Cole (we were sort of friends now) I turned to give him a dirty look and stopped. It was Shane who sat a table a little ways behind me.

"I like your hair like that," he smiled, "It looks nice." I melted and instead of being polite and saying thanks I simply nodded and looked away. NODDED AND LOOKED AWAY. How dumb was I? When I turned back around I realized my mistake and just about banged my head on the table. When the guy of your dreams gives a compliment you don't act like that!

I griped about that the rest of the day. About what I should've done but now it was too late. Stupid!

That weekend I invited Catherine to my house to hang out for the first time. I was eager to show her my horse and my house. When my dog, Shadow, barked I jumped and ran for the door. My dad, who'd been in the living room watching a movie at the time, got up so he could meet her mother. That was part of the agreement of her being able to come over was her meeting my dad. I understood that since my dad was the same way.

I stumbled down the stairs and opened the door to let them in. Catherine and her mom stood there smiling. I backed up and gestured for them to come in.

"Hello," her mom smiled big, "You must be Anna. I've heard all about you," we shook hands, "I'm Vivienne."

"Yes, I'm Anna, It's a pleasure to meet you," I said trying to be as polite as possible.

"The pleasure is mine," she glanced past me up the stairs, "Is this your dad?"

I nodded and led them up the stairs. My dad stood there smiling and dressed even though on Saturdays he usually hung out in nothing but shorts. He held out his hand and Vivienne shook it.

"I'm Roy."

"Vivienne," if possible she smiled bigger.

"So where is our horse? I'm dying to see her," Catherine said and I led her outside. I showed her the barn, our goat, our chickens, and my horse leaned her head over her stall door nickering at us.

"This is Rain," I told her as she petted her face.

"She's cute," she glanced back at me, "Does she jump?"

"Jump?"

"Yeah, like fences. You know English riding right?"

"I've never done it. She's a Western horse."

"We could teach her," she petted her some more, "I know how."

"You do?"

She nodded, "I've been jumping for three years now. If you want, next week you can come and watch on of my riding lessons."

"Really?" I was always flattered to be invited to anything, "That would be so cool."

"Do you have a whip? I'll need one to teach her."

I did have a whip. It wasn't for hitting the horse, just to coax them to go faster in the right direction. But what was she planning to do with it? Nonetheless, I grabbed it from the corner where we put the hay, but asked, "How are you going to do this?"

She opened her stall and grabbed the halter that hung on a hook, "Do you have a log or something we could use?"

I shook my head, "No, but we do have this weird piece of old wooden fence that is attached to the corner of the barn."

"Perfect," she was leading her out of the stall through the back door that let out into our five acre pasture.

We went around the corner of the barn and she let Rain go in the direction of the corner of our fence. If we cornered her, her only way out would be the fence I could tell. I should've said no. What if she hurt herself since she'd never jumped before?

"Are you sure about this?" I asked as she took the whip from me.

"Yeah it'll be cool watch and stand over there," she pointed and I went because I was a person who always did what I was told and swallowed their feelings to avoid conflict. Maybe she was right and I was just paranoid. She said she knew how.

She cracked the whip and Rain started to run my way but I blocked her. She turned and Catherine cracked the whip again to get her to go toward the fence. She did and with one final crack she jumped it, clearing it fine.

"See?" she smiled, "Nothing to it."

I nodded and we caught her and repeated the process once, twice, a third time before she finally hit the fence breaking the top board. I looked at Catherine worried.

"Once more then we'll give her a break," she said and handed me the whip and went to go catch her again. This time though Rain didn't want to come. I didn't blame her. I was a little annoyed by Catherine's know-it-all attitude and I noticed she hadn't even asked permission to do this with my horse. But I let it slide. She only said one more jump then we could go do something else.

She brought her back, Rain's ears flattened which meant she was angry. I told Catherine this and she just said, "No horse dares to bite me. I'll teach them a lesson if they do."

We turned her loose in the corner once more and Catherine cracked the whip. Rain ran in my direction, snorting and shaking her head. I shooed her back with my arms. I did not like this. She went to the fence but didn't jump it instead she turned around and headed for Catherine who cracked the whip loud when she approached.

"Watch out!" I told her but it was too late. Rain turned away but bucked, her back feet kicking out and knocked the whip right from Catherine's hand. She yelled and I ran toward her letting Rain escape who bolted to the other end of the pasture.

"Ah!" she held her hand. I looked at it, the tip of her pinky already turning reddish purple. "Ow," she whined crying now.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I blurted out not knowing what to do. Even though it was her own fault I was still sorry, "Are you okay?"

"No," she sniffed, "It really hurts."

"How bad is it? Can you move it?"

She tried but it only made her cry more, "Oh it hurts," she whined again.

I didn't want us to have to call her mom, tell her that her daughter's first time over at my house she gets a broken finger, but we had no choice. We went back to the house, Catherine in tears, and me freaking out. My dad got her some ice and we called her mom.

Twenty minutes later Vivienne came back and I automatically apologized over and over. I felt it was my fault since it was my horse that'd done it. Vivienne was nice about it though, "Oh it's okay honey, accidents happen all the time."

My dad apologized too then they left to go to the hospital. After they were gone I got the scolding of a lifetime but I deserved it. I'd let this happen when I should've told her no. Why couldn't I ever be assertive?

"That horse doesn't jump. She can learn to jump if we had her trained, but not from the hands of two thirteen-year-olds," he said angrily.

I nodded, "It won't happen again."


End file.
